aikidoshadow
July 11th, 2008, 11:30am
I recieved my AEM Intake system in the mail, and opened it up upon arrival to inspect it. Inside the box I found a very nice looking air intake pipe that was polished to a flawless finish. I inspected the welds inside, and they were also of high quality craftsmanship. I also found instructions,2 high quality couplers, a pre bent 1/2" hose, and all the hardware. And of course the Dryflow air filter,which does not require any oil. That pleased me because I have heard of many people having trouble with their GM cars throwing codes and going into limp mode due to filter oil getting on the MAF sensor. Also included were some decals and an AEM license plate/tag bracket. I was very pleased with the quality, and it was well packaged.
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f38/watts-up/intake57002.jpg
So, I went to the garage to do the install. The instructions were very straight foreward, and the install went smoothly, it only took me about 35-40 minutes to finish it up.
1st, I unhooked the battery power and unclipped the ECU per instructions.Then I unhooked the breather hose using a pair of pliers, and unclamped the stock air inlet tube, and removed it.
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f38/watts-up/intake57004.jpg
Moving right along, I unclipped the MAF harness and removed the three screws on the stock air box lid, and removed it, along with the stock air filter.
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f38/watts-up/intake57007.jpg
Then removed the idle air hose and wire harness from the throttle body and removed it.
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f38/watts-up/intake57005.jpg
Now I had everything out of the way and I was ready to install!
I set the AEM filter in the stock housing per instructions, and placed the air box lid back on the box aligning it with the filter.
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f38/watts-up/intake57012.jpg
Using a 90 degree pick, I pushed the filter up onto the air box inlet, and tightened the hose clamp. This step was a little tricky, and the filter came loose, so I just removed the lid, and installed the filter while it was out in the open. Then I was able to manipulate it back into the housing by pushing the lower radiator hose aside, and rotating the lid and filter like a steering wheel while working it downward into the housing. Success!
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f38/watts-up/intake57021.jpg
The hardest part was done after onlt about 25 minutes into the install. I then reinstalled the 3 screws on the lid, and connected the new reducing couple to the air box lid.
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f38/watts-up/intake57022.jpg
Then reinstalled the throttle body to the intake manifold, connected the harness and idle air hose. I then replaced the 1/2" breather hose with the supplied new one, and secured it with one of the newly supplied 3/4" hose clamps.
Then Installed the supplied 3" straight coupler onto the intake pipe opposite the nipple, and place the nipple side of the intake pipe into the reducer coupler on the air box, and rotated the pipe to properly seat it, and align it with the throttle body, then attatched the top to the straight coupler on the throttle body. Then I installed the other end of the new 1/2" breather hose to the new intake pipe with the other supplied 3/4" hose clamp.
Then clipped the ECU back into place and reinstalled the harness, and secured it with the supplied zip tie. The final step for me was to buff the finger prints off the beautiful polished intake pipe with a little polish and a micro-fiber detailing cloth,
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f38/watts-up/intake57028.jpg
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f38/watts-up/intake57029.jpg
and I was finished in under 40 minutes!
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f38/watts-up/intake57030.jpg
Time for a road test. The car ran nicely with my 1st tenative gentle drive, making sure the install was completly sound. Then it was time to check the performance gains. I found a nice open, empty stretch of road and let her rip. I immeadeatly noticed the car had obviously picked up a few extra ponies. I could obviously tell it was breatinig much easier, and the air was really flowing with less restriction.
It has been over a month since the install, and the car has been running flawlessly. No codes, or check engine lights, and my fuel economy has even picked up an extra 25-50 miles per tankfull of gas! All in all I'm very happy with this product, and wouldn't hesitate at all to recommend this intake system to anybody.
Sincerly,
Lance (Watts-up)
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f38/watts-up/intake57002.jpg
So, I went to the garage to do the install. The instructions were very straight foreward, and the install went smoothly, it only took me about 35-40 minutes to finish it up.
1st, I unhooked the battery power and unclipped the ECU per instructions.Then I unhooked the breather hose using a pair of pliers, and unclamped the stock air inlet tube, and removed it.
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f38/watts-up/intake57004.jpg
Moving right along, I unclipped the MAF harness and removed the three screws on the stock air box lid, and removed it, along with the stock air filter.
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f38/watts-up/intake57007.jpg
Then removed the idle air hose and wire harness from the throttle body and removed it.
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f38/watts-up/intake57005.jpg
Now I had everything out of the way and I was ready to install!
I set the AEM filter in the stock housing per instructions, and placed the air box lid back on the box aligning it with the filter.
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f38/watts-up/intake57012.jpg
Using a 90 degree pick, I pushed the filter up onto the air box inlet, and tightened the hose clamp. This step was a little tricky, and the filter came loose, so I just removed the lid, and installed the filter while it was out in the open. Then I was able to manipulate it back into the housing by pushing the lower radiator hose aside, and rotating the lid and filter like a steering wheel while working it downward into the housing. Success!
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f38/watts-up/intake57021.jpg
The hardest part was done after onlt about 25 minutes into the install. I then reinstalled the 3 screws on the lid, and connected the new reducing couple to the air box lid.
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f38/watts-up/intake57022.jpg
Then reinstalled the throttle body to the intake manifold, connected the harness and idle air hose. I then replaced the 1/2" breather hose with the supplied new one, and secured it with one of the newly supplied 3/4" hose clamps.
Then Installed the supplied 3" straight coupler onto the intake pipe opposite the nipple, and place the nipple side of the intake pipe into the reducer coupler on the air box, and rotated the pipe to properly seat it, and align it with the throttle body, then attatched the top to the straight coupler on the throttle body. Then I installed the other end of the new 1/2" breather hose to the new intake pipe with the other supplied 3/4" hose clamp.
Then clipped the ECU back into place and reinstalled the harness, and secured it with the supplied zip tie. The final step for me was to buff the finger prints off the beautiful polished intake pipe with a little polish and a micro-fiber detailing cloth,
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f38/watts-up/intake57028.jpg
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f38/watts-up/intake57029.jpg
and I was finished in under 40 minutes!
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f38/watts-up/intake57030.jpg
Time for a road test. The car ran nicely with my 1st tenative gentle drive, making sure the install was completly sound. Then it was time to check the performance gains. I found a nice open, empty stretch of road and let her rip. I immeadeatly noticed the car had obviously picked up a few extra ponies. I could obviously tell it was breatinig much easier, and the air was really flowing with less restriction.
It has been over a month since the install, and the car has been running flawlessly. No codes, or check engine lights, and my fuel economy has even picked up an extra 25-50 miles per tankfull of gas! All in all I'm very happy with this product, and wouldn't hesitate at all to recommend this intake system to anybody.
Sincerly,
Lance (Watts-up)